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The U.S. team will advance if ...

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A win or a tie would be enough to take the U.S. to the knockout stages

A defeat would mean the team's fate rests on the result of the Portugal-Ghana game

The U.S. team took to the field for its clash against Portugal with these words inscribed on its jersey patches:

"The American will to win is stronger than any opponent in your way."

For 94 minutes on Sunday, they persevered. They were down, then they equalized, then they led.

But, with mere seconds to go, Team USA's dogged determination was torpedoed by a header from Silvestre Varela.

What seemed like a sure win ended in a disappointing 2-2 draw.

Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Talk about down to the wire. Silvestre Varela of Portugal scores his team's second goal past United States goalkeeper Tim Howard during a World Cup game at Arena Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, on Sunday, June 22. The goal, scored with less than one minute left to play, led to a 2-2 draw.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – United States forward Clint Dempsey celebrates after scoring his team's second goal. The goal gave the United States a 2-1 lead, but Portugal stormed back to tie the crucial Group G match.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo played as if his injured left knee was no bother.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Portugal forward Nani jumps for the ball.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Midfielder Jermaine Jones celebrates after scoring the United States' first goal, in the second half.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal reacts after a play. He failed to score on several good opportunities but made a big pass that led to a Portugal goal.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Fabian Johnson of the United States battles Raul Meireles of Portugal.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Clint Dempsey is challenged by several Portugal players during the action on June 22.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Portugal goalkeeper Beto dives for the ball. He kept the United States scoreless in the first half.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles and U.S. midfielder Kyle Beckerman tumble during the June 22 match in Manaus, Brazil.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Nani of Portugal scores his team's first goal past U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard. Portugal took a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute of the match.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – United States supporters gather at the Arena Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil. Broadcasters said the heat and humidity were oppressive.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – A Portugal fan shows his spirit in Arena Amazonia in Manaus before the start of the Portugal and United States game on June 22.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Yacine Brahimi of Algeria, right, celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal during a World Cup game against South Korea at Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Algeria won 4-2, its first World Cup victory in 32 years.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Son Heung-min of South Korea reacts after losing to Algeria.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Djamel Mesbah of Algeria vies for the ball with Lee Chung-yong of South Korea.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – South Korea's Son Heung-min shoots and scores his team's first goal.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Hong Jeong-ho of South Korea and Nabil Ghilas of Algeria compete for the ball.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Algeria's goalkeeper Rais M'bohli makes a save.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Algerian midfielder Nabil Bentaleb, second left, competes for the ball with South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, first left, on June 22.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Islam Slimani of Algeria breaks through South Korean defenses on his way to scoring his team's first goal.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Son Heung-min of South Korea controls the ball against Madjid Bougherra of Algeria.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – A South Korea fan cheers shows his support.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – South Korea's Koo Ja-cheol reaches for the ball in front of Algeria's Carl Medjani.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Algerian defender Carl Medjani jumps to head the ball.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – An Algeria fan shows his support.

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Photos:World Cup: The best photos from June 22

World Cup: The best photos from June 22 – Belgian forward Divock Origi reacts after scoring the only goal during a game between Belgium and Russia in Rio de Janeiro.

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U.S. and Portugal draw 2-2

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Jones: 'In the end, we celebrate'

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Jones: 'In the end, we celebrate'01:31

Cheers, then silence

From Arkansas to Alaska, American fans had flocked to Brazil. Some made it all the way to the jungle heat of Manaus where the game took place; others joined a crowd of about 20,000 people gathered in front of a big screen in Rio de Janeiro, chanting their belief in an American victory.

Back at home, bars and streets were packed with people -- an unusual sight in a country that is ordinarily indifferent to soccer.

"What's for dinner? Portugal," an oft-repeated joke went.

Portugal netted the ball first. If one were to go by history, that would have been disastrous. In 20 games, the U.S. has never recovered when the opposing team scored the first goal.

But then, Jermaine Jones thumped in a stunning long-range shot to bring the score to 1-1. The noise was deafening.

All the U.S. had to do next was bide time -- keep possession of the ball, keep an increasingly desperate Portugal at bay.

They did -- until the end of the game and for four of the five minutes of stoppage time.

But Varela's crushing late equalizer -- headed in from a pinpoint cross by Portugal's talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo -- stunned the U.S. supporters.

But shock soon turned to grudging satisfaction.

A tie isn't as bad as a defeat.

After all, Portugal is ranked No. 4 in the world; the U.S. No. 13.

A tie also gives another point for the U.S., moving it closer to qualifying for the knockout stages.

'You have to move on'

The team captain certainly wasn't dwelling on the Portugal game's cruel finale.

"You're disappointed not to get three points but at the same time you have to take the positives from the game," Dempsey said.

The team now has its sights set firmly on Germany.

That confrontation is an intriguing one for U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who played for the German team that won the World Cup in 1990. But he didn't show any conflicted loyalties in his comments Sunday.

"We have one day less to recover. They played yesterday, we played today," he told ESPN. "We played in the Amazon, and they played in the very kind of location where they don't have to travel much. Everything was done for the big favorites to go and move on. We have to do it the tough way, but we're going to do it the tough way."

Win or tie enough

The key question for American fans is what their team has to do to get through to the next round.

The good news is that the U.S. players have their fate in their own hands: a win or a tie would be enough to see them through.

A victory against Germany on Thursday, unlikely but not impossible, would put the United States top of the group with seven points.

A tie would also be good enough to qualify, leaving Team USA second on five points, level with Germany, which would finish top because of a better goal difference.